Controller & Steam Deck setup
Gamble With Your Friends Controller & Steam Deck Guide
Use this page when a controller half-works: it is detected but the camera crawls, a menu button does nothing, or a Steam Deck layout is missing an action. Start with the router below and it will point at the shortest fix.
Controller input works, but support is not completely seamless. The game now includes configurable input mapping and controller-sensitivity settings, while Valve rates Steam Deck Playable rather than Verified. Some actions may still require remapping, touchscreen or keyboard input, or a community Steam Input layout.
Last checked:
This page owns controller and Steam Deck setup. Whether a platform exists at all — PS5, Xbox, Mac, mobile — is answered on the platforms page. A Camera item guide is a separate topic again.
Controller support at a glance
Each row is tagged with the evidence behind it. Official settings and community workarounds are not the same claim.
| Feature | Current status |
|---|---|
| Gamepad input | YesOfficial |
| Rebindable input mapping | YesOfficial |
| Controller sensitivity | YesOfficial |
| Steam Input | WorkaroundCommunity workaround |
| Fully seamless controller UX | Not establishedUnverified |
| Steam Deck rating | PlayableValve tested |
| Deck default layout complete | Not establishedValve tested |
| Correct controller glyphs everywhere | Not establishedValve tested |
Input mapping, a higher sensitivity ceiling and scroll sensitivity were added in v1.0.30, so controller behavior has changed since launch.
Fix my controller
Choose your device and what is actually wrong. You get the shortest route first, not a wall of settings.
What are you using?
What's wrong?
Pick a device and a symptom to see the shortest route.
Community steps are routes players reported. They are not official defaults, and an official patch can replace them.
Controller not working at all
Fix detection order before anything else: Steam first, then one input path at a time.
A controller that never responds is usually a detection or Steam Input problem, not a gameplay problem. Work through the order below so you know exactly where it breaks.
Controller detected by Steam?
Enable / check Steam Input
Launch with one controller attached
Test the menu
Test movement
Test interact
Test camera
Community-reported workaround
Steam Library → Properties → Controller → enable Steam Input. Players report getting basic control this way, but it is a workaround, not a guarantee.
Why is controller camera movement so slow?
The sensitivity ceiling was low for a long time. v1.0.30 raised the maximum controller sensitivity and added scroll sensitivity, so check settings on the current build first.
Multiple players report that buttons broadly work while look tracking is extremely slow. Treat it as two layers: an official settings route, then a community Steam Input layout if that is not enough.
Official first step
Official- 1Open Settings.
- 2Find Controller sensitivity.
- 3Raise it and retest turning in gameplay.
Community workaround (if it is still extremely slow)
Community workaroundEdit the Steam Input layout so the right stick behaves like a mouse instead of a joystick look axis. Leave the left stick as a normal joystick.
- 1Steam Input → Edit Layout.
- 2Joysticks → Right Joystick.
- 3Behavior → Joystick Mouse.
- 4Keep the left stick as a normal joystick for movement.
This is a camera-controls problem. It is not the same as the in-game Camera item.
Missing a button or action
Bind the action in the game first; use a Steam Input layout only when the game cannot bind it.
A common Steam Deck report is picking up an item and then having no obvious way to throw or drop it. The safe order is: in-game mapping, then a Steam Input binding, and only then third-party fixes.
- 1Open Settings → Input Mapping.
- 2Bind the missing action to an unused button.
- 3Retest the action in gameplay.
- 4If it still cannot be bound in-game, edit the Steam Input layout.
Can't throw or drop an item on Steam Deck?
- 1Steam button → Controller Settings.
- 2Edit Layout → choose an unused button or rear paddle.
- 3Bind the required keyboard action to it.
- 4Retest while holding, not while aiming, an item.
A Steam Input binding is a fallback for an action the current build will not map directly.
Fix order
- Official settings
- Steam Input
- Community layout
- Only then third-party mods
Steam Deck status
Valve currently rates it Playable, not Verified.
- Valve compatibility status
- PlayableValve tested
| Feature | Current status |
|---|---|
| Runs on SteamOS | Yes |
| Default graphics perform well | Yes |
| Default controls fully functional | No |
| Keyboard / touchscreen fallback may be needed | May be needed |
| Controller glyphs always correct | No |
| Small text reported by Valve | Yes |
| Internet required for solo | Yes |
Valve’s testing lists the default controller configuration, glyphs and small text as caveats, and players report needing to bind actions such as throwing an item themselves.
Say it accurately
Steam Deck unsupported.
Steam Deck is rated Playable, but not Verified.
The game runs on SteamOS; the caveats are around controls and the UI, not whether it launches.
Steam Deck controls incomplete
If an action is missing on Deck, use the in-game mapping first. Custom Steam Input bindings are the fallback, not the default answer.
- 1Open Settings → Input Mapping and bind the missing action.
- 2If it is not available there, open Controller Settings → Edit Layout.
- 3Add the action to an unused button or rear paddle.
- 4Save the layout so it survives a game update.
Input mapping & sensitivity
These are the two official levers you control without any external tool.
Input mapping
Officialv1.0.30 added tweakable input mapping, so a number of actions can be rebound in-game. Use this before a Steam-level layout.
Sensitivity
OfficialController sensitivity is adjustable, the maximum was raised in v1.0.30, and scroll sensitivity was added at the same time.
Controller behavior has changed since launch
v1.0.10 added keybinds for movement and ping actions, and v1.0.30 reworked input mapping and sensitivity. Older controller tutorials from around launch may be partly out of date.
Current mapping inspector
This guide does not publish a claimed full button table, because part of the current problem is that actions and prompts are not complete. Open the in-game Input Mapping settings to see the live bindings.
Xbox, PlayStation and generic pads
Any standard gamepad that Steam can see is worth trying. Evidence is about input support, not about a per-model compatibility promise.
Xbox-style controller
A common choice on Windows. It benefits from the official sensitivity and mapping settings like any gamepad.
DualSense / DualShock
Works through Steam input handling. Glyphs may not always match the controller you are holding.
Steam Deck
Built-in controls, rated Playable. The default layout is not complete, so plan to edit it.
Generic controller
If Steam detects it, it can usually be mapped. No per-model support list is published.
No official per-model compatibility list has been published, so avoid reading a specific controller as officially certified.
Reported controller bugs
Reported issues are not confirmed root causes. They are listed so you know the behavior is known.
Settings menu gets stuck with a controller
ReportedA bug report describes exiting Settings with a controller while the overlay stays on screen and the controller is already driving the main menu behind it.
- 1Use a mouse or keyboard to exit the menu if you can.
- 2Restart if the UI state is stuck.
- 3Retest without a custom Steam Input layout.
- 4Check the latest patch before assuming it is permanent.
Reported. The root cause is not confirmed here.
Official vs community fixes
Every fix on this page carries one of these levels, so an official setting never looks the same as a player workaround.
- Official
- Stated in an official patch note, FAQ or the game’s own settings.
- Valve tested
- Published Valve Steam Deck compatibility testing.
- Community workaround
- Reported by players on Steam or Reddit. Not an official default.
- Reported
- A filed community bug report with no confirmed root cause.
- Unverified
- Not enough evidence to recommend or dismiss yet.
Fix evidence levels
| Fix | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Rebind actions with in-game input mapping | OfficialOfficial patch notes and news |
| Increase controller sensitivity in Settings | OfficialOfficial patch notes and news |
| Enable Steam Input for the game | Community workaroundSteam Input player reports |
| Right stick → Joystick Mouse | Community workaroundJoystick Mouse player reports |
| Bind the missing action to a rear paddle | Community workaroundSteam Deck item-action report (Reddit) |
| Steam Deck = Playable (not Verified) | Valve testedValve compatibility data (SteamDB) |
| Controller stuck on the Settings overlay | ReportedController Settings overlay bug report |
Sources and update date
Input features, Steam Input reports and Steam Deck compatibility are checked against the sources below and dated. Re-check before treating an answer as final.
FAQ
- Does Gamble With Your Friends have controller support?
- Controller input works and the game has configurable input mapping and controller-sensitivity settings. It is not a fully seamless controller UX, so some actions may still need remapping or a Steam Input layout.
- Does an Xbox controller work?
- An Xbox-style controller that Steam can detect can be used, and it benefits from the official sensitivity and mapping settings. No per-model certification list is published.
- Does a PS5 controller work?
- A DualSense or DualShock controller can be used through Steam’s input handling. Button prompts may not always match the controller you are holding.
- Is Gamble With Your Friends playable on Steam Deck?
- Yes. Valve rates it Playable, not Verified. It runs on SteamOS, but the default controller configuration is not complete and a keyboard or touchscreen fallback may be needed.
- Why is controller camera movement so slow?
- It is a reported issue. Raise controller sensitivity in Settings first; v1.0.30 raised the maximum. If that is not enough, players use a Steam Input layout that makes the right stick behave as a mouse.
- How do I enable Steam Input?
- In your Steam Library, open the game’s Properties, then the Controller section, and enable Steam Input for this title. This is a community-reported workaround, not an official guarantee.
- Can I remap controls?
- Yes. v1.0.30 added tweakable input mapping. Use the in-game settings first, and a Steam Input layout only for actions the game will not bind.
- How do I throw items on Steam Deck?
- Try the in-game Input Mapping settings first. If the action cannot be bound there, edit the Steam Input layout and bind the required keyboard key to an unused button or rear paddle.
- Why does the controller work in menus but not in gameplay?
- That usually points at a Steam Input layout that only maps menu actions, or a device being claimed by another input tool. Retest with the default layout and close other controller software.
- Why are the wrong button icons showing?
- Glyphs can show a different controller than the one in use, and Valve lists incorrect glyphs as a Steam Deck caveat. Check the in-game Input Mapping settings for the real binding.
- Is Gamble With Your Friends Steam Deck Verified?
- No. It is rated Playable. Verified requires default controls and text to work without caveats.
- Do I need a controller mod?
- Not for basic setup. The safe order is official settings, then Steam Input, then a community layout. Only consider a third-party mod after those, and treat unknown DLLs with caution.